Video given to police in Chorley nursing home probe

Gaynor Clarke

A video understood to be filmed on a hidden camera is part of a probe into a nursing home, it has been revealed.

As reported earlier this week, relatives were told last Thursday that Lake View Nursing Home, in Withnell, was to close and they were given 28 days to find new accommodation.

Police said they were contacted on January 9 with concerns for the safety of a resident at the home and a Lancashire County Council spokesman said they were: “supporting an investigation into the alleged mistreatment of a number of residents”.

It has now emerged that a video was given to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) by a relative. The content of the video has not been revealed.

A CQC spokesman confirmed they were handed a video and it was passed to the police.

A spokesman for Lancashire Constabulary said they had received footage from a camera.

They added that they were working with partners to establish whether there will be a criminal investigation following the call concerning the safety of a resident.

A spokesman for Embrace, which runs the home, said: “The CQC have informed us they have been given footage from the home, but we have not had the opportunity to view this yet.

“We are not able to make any further comments at this time, but we take any concerns raised very seriously and will always seek to address them promptly and effectively.”

He said they had also been notified that the police had been informed and they were happy to assist the police.

Lake View was the subject of a damming report from the CQC last year.

The CQC said another inspection was carried out earlier this month after they received “information of concern”, though the report from that visit has not yet been published.

A spokesman for Embrace said five members of staff had been suspended “following feedback from the CQC”, but declined to provide more information.

Lake View employs 37 people and includes a specialist unit for people with mental health problems associated with dementia.

Embrace says there is a 28-day notice period, but the home will stay open until all 28 residents have found alternative care.

Earlier this week, the spokesman said: “For some time we have been working hard to improve standards at the home. The senior management team has been working closely with the council and the CQC but we have not seen the improvements needed.

“In addition, due to an increased reliance on agency staff, we are not able to guarantee that residents will receive the standard of care they deserve beyond the short to medium term.

“For this reason we have taken the very difficult decision to close the home.

“We will be working closely with residents, family members, the CQC and the council to ensure every resident moves to a home that is best able to meet their individual care needs.”

Lancashire County Council previously said that every resident now has a social worker or health worker, and they were talking to the residents and their families about finding suitable alternative accommodation.

A spokesman for Chorley and South Ribble Clinical Commissioning Group said: “Our top priority is always the safety and wellbeing of our patients, and because of this we liaise closely with patients and their families and carers, Lancashire County Council and individual residential and nursing homes, to make sure that at all times people are receiving the right treatment, and being cared for in the right place in a safe and high quality way. “We will be cooperating fully with any investigation, so it would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment while this process is ongoing.”